On Tuesday, 26th February 1952 this 207 Advanced Flying School aircraft was flown on a single engine night flying training exercise with an instructor and a pupil pilot. Visibility appears to have been reduced owing to fog and at around 17.50hrs during one of the landings the aircraft undershot Full Sutton airfield. In the direction the approach was made that meant it would cross the York to Pocklington stretch of railway line on a slightly raised embankment. At the moment it crossed the line on the Fangfoss side of Full Sutton Gate House a freight train was heading toward York from Hull and the aircraft struck the train. The aircraft and railway wagons were badly damaged. Around fourteen wagons derailed and several along with the aircraft ended up in a field below the embankment. The collision had broken the coupling off one of the wagons so that the engine together with the front wagons remained on the track and kept going for a short distance until they passed Full Sutton Gate House. The gatekeeper noticed that there was no red light showing on a rear guard van so immediately came out and halted a passenger train heading in the opposite direction. This undoubtably saved many lives. At the crash site a number of telegraph poles, wires and wagons landed on and around the very damaged aircraft. Wagons containing bricks and fish landed on top of the cockpit area which trapped the pupil pilot. The instructor broke both his legs and sustained head injuries and was soon dragged clear with a rope but it took over three hours to extract the pupil though he escaped with only injuries minor injuries. No one on the freight train was injured. The wreckage was soon removed and the railway line was reopened two days later.

Freight train Driver Edward Pearson and Fireman Charles Henry Sturdy later received commendations for their actions after this incident. This was the second commendation the driver had received for a similar occurance in November 1951. The first was probably the Lincoln crash at Leconfield on 26th November 1951.

This was the first of three very similar incidents to occur in this area within a few months in 1952, of which two would be fatal accidents. The two airmen involved in this first incident were very lucky to survive. I have logged this incident as occurring near Full Sutton airfield rather than one of the villages. "Near Fangfoss" is quoted elsewhere but as the village is two miles away doesn't seem right. It's also over a mile from both High Catton and Full Sutton villages.

Instructor Pilot - F/O I Cardwell (possibly F/O Ivan Cardwell RAF (1795449)).

Pupil Pilot - P/O Kenneth Levitt RAF (3130490).